Crab and Corn Cakes

I live in corn country. My husband was driving out by the countryside last weekend and came across a stand by a farmhouse: 4 ears of fresh sweet corn for $1. He came home with 16 ears! Needless to say, I had to get creative.

2 ears of cooked corn, kernels cut off
1 can of lump crab meat (I threw out the can, I think it was about 6 oz.)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
1 tsp of chopped chives
1 tsp of parsley
salt and pepper

Mix all your ingredients in a bowl and let them sit for a few minutes in the refrigerator. Take about a tablespoon's worth of the mixture and form a ball. Drizzle a baking pan with olive oil and place 4 balls at a time in your pan. Gently press them down into a patty with a spatula, turning them until the brown on both sides.

Mejillones Enchilados con Arroz Amarillo

I know so many people whose motto is "I don't eat anything that comes from the sea." Then there are people who will eat fish but not shellfish, and those who will eat fish and shellfish, but NOT mussels! That's okay; more for me.

A couple of weeks ago I posted a picture of rice with mussels that my sister made. My daughter did not eat with us that day, so I decided to make her a different version of mejillones enchilados con arroz amarillo (mussles in a spicy red sauce and yellow rice).

2 lbs of mussels (I used pre-cooked frozen mussels, fresh is better of course)
1 medium size onion,  chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
8 oz canned stewed tomatoes
dash of hot sauce
dash of Worchestershire sauce
dash of soy sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
olive oil
salt to taste
parsley for garnish

If using fresh mussles discard any with open or broken shells. Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush, debeard and rinse under cold water.

Coat a pot with olive oil and saute your onions and garlic. Add your stewed tomatoes, hot sauce, Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, bay leaf and wine and salt and let simmer for the flavors to meld. Add your mussels and cook until they open carefully spooning the sauce over them as they cook. Turn off the heat cover and let sit for a while so the mussels absorb the flavor of the sauce. Serve over a bed of yellow rice.

Note: If you don't eat mussels you can substitute shrimp, crab, lobster or any other shellfish for this recipe.

Roasted Acorn Squash, Onions and Peppers

This is so simple. Peel and cut an acorn squash into section (any squash will do), peel and quarter 2-3 onions, seed and quarter 1-2 bell peppers. Liberally coat the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F for approximately 40 minutes, turning the vegetables half way through.

I served the roasted vegies with salmon sauteed in olive oil, white wine, 1/2 cup vegetable broth, salt, olives and capers. Sorry I didn't follow through with this one as far as the steps.

Invitation to Dinner

Sorry guys, I don't have a recipe for this arroz con mariscos. I got to enjoy this great meal made by another fellow Cuban.... my sister! Yummy!

Mantecaditos: Sugar Cookies - Cuban Style

I am copying this recipe directly from Authentic Cuban Cuisine by Martha Abreu Cortina.

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cups sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Guava paste (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together completely. Make a roll and cut 1/2 inch thick slices to form the cookies. Press down on the slices with the plam of your hand. Dent the center of the cookie with your thumb and fill with guava paste if desired. Bake at 350F degrees for 20 minutes.

The only problem I had with this recipe is that I had to add more shortening. The recipe may be correct and my measuring skills may be off since it is very difficult to get shortening into a measuring cup without making a complete mess. If you have trouble getting the dough to stick, add another 1/4 cup of shortening. Also I wasn't ready to bake yet, so I wrapped my roll in plastic wrap and refrigerated for a couple of hours.  The cookies were a hit.

What's for Lunch? Salmon Patties

 

This is very simple to prepare and very tasty.

2 cans salmon (approx 7 oz each)

12 saltine crackers, crushed

1 egg,

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Mix all these ingredients together. (I think I ended up using basil instead of parsley.... I don't know what I grabbed from my herb garden, but it tasted fine either way!) Coat the bottom of a pan with oil (I used olive oil) and form 7 to 8 patties. I formed round balls and then flattened them with the spatula, it works better for me this way. Brown on each side on medium high heat and you're done!

Cookbook Review: Authentic Cuban Cuisine by Martha Abreu Cortina

I have been graciously asked by Pelican Publishing to review Authentic Cuban Cuisine by Martha Abreu Cortina.

Ms Cortina is a native Cuban who learned to cook by watching her mother. Years ago she sat down with her and copied every recipe she enjoyed so much. Now these recipes are available to us.

Authentic Cuban Cuisine lives up to its name; these traditional recipes are as authentic as they come.  From appetizers to desserts and every course in between, Ms Cortina lays out a reference-style recipe for every scrumptious meal.  The ingredients are clearly listed in red and the instructions on the side are easy to follow.  Alternative ingredients are offered for those of us who live in areas where Spanish markets are not readily available: for example using Polska or turkey Kielbasa instead of chorizo.

Included is an English/Spanish ingredients list which I found very useful as well as an English index and a Spanish one for those of us who are familiar with the recipe by the Spanish name. There is also an extensive beverages section including everything from mixed drinks such as the popular Mojito to the Wheat Shake (Batido de Trigo).

In going through this book, it reminded me of a typical Cuban kitchen. These are the home-cooked meals I remember as a child: the desserts my abuela made such as rice pudding (arroz con leche), the roast pig (lechon asado) of nochebuena, and the everyday black beans and rice.

If anything was lacking it was a sandwich section which we can only hope will be included in a future edition. :)

Check back soon as I will be replicating a recipe from Authentic Cuban Cuisine.
 

I have included a link for those of you who may be interested in purchasing this book.*  Click here.

*Please note, Cuban in the Midwest is NOT making any money off the proceeds from the sale of this book.

No-Knead Bread #2

I made a no-knead bread a few days ago, and I was so impressed I decided to give another try. I made some adjustments to the recipe and the family seemed to prefer it. I used bread flour instead of all purpose flour,  more yeast, more water and more salt.... the recipe follows:


3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp. instant or regular active dry yeast
2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups tepid water

In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add the water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.

The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice, then roughly shape into a ball. Grease a bowl place your dough into it and turn it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with a towel and let sit for another 3 hours.

Once the bread has rested for 2 1/2 hours, preheat the oven to 450°. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Flip the dough over into the pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until it’s nice and golden.

This loaf had more air in it. It was lighter, not as dense as the one I had baked previously.

What's for Lunch? Homemade Chicken Tenders and Coleslaw

 

I've noticed I've been cooking a lot of chicken lately. Has anyone noticed how high the price of beef is these days? My weekly grocery bills have skyrocketed.  It seems I'm spending the same, but coming home with less. Anyway, this is very simple to make. With two chicken breasts you can make lunch for four.

2 chicken breasts
salt / pepper / onion powder / garlic powder
lime juice

all purpose flour
1 egg
seasoned bread crumbs

oil for frying


Place your chicken breast on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet to flatten. Repeat with the second chicken breast. Cut into thick slices. Season with salt / pepper / onion powder / garlic powder and splash of lime juice. Refrigerate for one hour.

Using three bowls pour flour into one, beat an egg into another (add a little water), and pour bread crumbs into the third. Coat your chicken pieces in flour, pass them through the egg wash and give them a final coating with the bread crumbs.

Heat a skillet with about 3/4 inch of oil and drop your chicken pieces in one by one.  (Do not put too many in at once). Fry til golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.



I also made the coleslaw.... 1/4 head of cabbage chopped, 1 carrot grated and store-bought slaw dressing. Easy.

Pollo Al Vino • Chicken in Wine Sauce

It's been a long time since I've made chicken this way. I don't know what's taken me so long seeing as it is sooooo good!

1 whole chicken quartered
2-3 cups worth of chopped onion
1 green bell pepper chopped
5-6 cloves garlic pressed
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry sherry
2 carrots cut in chunks
2 small red potaotes cut in chunks
12 pimento stuffed olives
salt
pepper
paprika
olive oil

Season your chicken quarters with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat a large pot drizzled with enough olive oil to coat the bottom. On medium heat saute the onions, green peppers and garlic. Add the chicken pieces ( I removed the skin from the chicken breasts) and let them brown a bit about 5 minutes on each side. (You may have to add more olive oil if they start to stick to the pot).  Add the sherry, bay leaf and carrots. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Add your potatoes and adjust seasoning. Cover and simmer another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Serve on a bed of white rice.

No-Knead Bread

I was reading one of may favorite blogs, From Croatia.... To The States, and I saw the link to make this bread. I've never really had much success at making bread, but this seemed so simple that I had to try it. I'm going to copy the recipe from the original link.

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for dusting (you may whole wheat)
1/4 tsp. instant or regular active dry yeast (note: it's 1/4 tsp. not 1/4 oz)
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. water

In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.

The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice, then roughly shape into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Fold it over the bread or cover with another cotton towel and let it sit for another hour or two.

While the bread is resting, preheat the oven to 450°. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and flip the dough over into the pot; it may look like a mess, but that’s OK. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until it’s nice and golden.

Roast Chicken

 

I've been butterflying my chickens since last Thanksgiving when I butterflied my turkey. Unfortunately my camera's battery died on me as I was taking pictures. I like to prepare the chicken this way for a couple of reasons: first it roasts more evenly and second by removing the back bone, I have more meat for my soup pot. (I also removed the ribs and center bone)

I seasoned this chicken very simply.
2 cloves garlic pressed with  a handful of dried rosemary, and a liberal sprinkling of seasonsed salt. Rubbed on both sides. In the oven at 350F for about one hour.

Following are the pictures I was able to take before I had to recharge the battery.

Remove the giblets and the neck. Wash your chicken under cold water.

Turn your chicken breast side down on a cutting board.

Using a good pair of kitchen sheers cut along both sides of the backbone and remove.

Prepare a chicken stock with the giblets, neck, and back of the chicken. Add onions, garlic, tomato, whatever you may have in your vegetable bin to add flavor.

Merengue Pie Crust

I came across this recipe here.  It seemed like such a wonderful idea! You can fill it with chocolate cream or vanilla custard or lemon curd or strawberries or just about anything that goes well with merengue, and it was so easy to do.

4 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup + 2 tbsp superfine sugar (I used powdered sugar)
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.


Preheat the oven to 375F degrees the reduce it to 200F degrees. (I lowered it to 180F)

Line a baking sheet with parchment and draw a 10-inch circle on it. Turn paper over.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a bowl until the whites form soft peaks. Add sugar 2 teaspoons at a time, while continuing to beat until the merengue is stiff and glossy. Beat in the vanilla.


Spoon meringue into the traced circle, smooth with a spatula and shape like a shallow bowl.
Place in the lower third of the oven, and bake for at least 5 hours (the longer it stays in, the surer you can be that the shell will arrive at crisp perfection). Then turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the turned-off oven to cool, preferably overnight.

 

Before placing it in the oven.

Fully cooked and cooled. I wished it had looked prettier, but it tasted great!

Jiffy Hush Puppies

I've had this package of Jiffy corn muffins in the pantry for a while, and since I was going to make batter-fried fish tonight I thought I'd take it out and transform it from muffins to hush puppies which would go better with the fish. Here's what I did, and they turned out very well...

1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
Oil for frying

Mix all these ingredients together in a bowl. Heat the oil and Drop the batter 1 teaspoon at a time, into the oil. Fry until golden brown, turning the hushpuppies during the cooking process. Transfer to paper towel lined plate.